The official logo of the Republican Party, the elephant, was taken from a cartoon by Thomas Nast. If we look at the 21st century, Republican Party leader George H.W. Bush was the President of America from January 20, 1989 to January 20, 1993. George W. Bush was the President of the United States from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009 and Donald Trump was the President of the United States from January 20, 2017 to January 20, 2021.
There is a system of two political parties in America. Elections are held every 4 years. Candidates who aspire to become President first form a committee, which works to collect funds and gauge the public’s attitude towards the concerned leader. Many times this process starts two years before the elections. The election process formally begins in January with ‘primaries’ and continues through June. In this round, the party releases the list of its candidates who want to contest for the post of President. In the second round, voters of America’s 50 states choose party delegates.
Party delegates elected in the primaries participate in the party convention in the second round. The nomination process takes place in this round. In the third round an attempt is made to gather support. During this time, televised debates also take place between the candidates. In the last week, candidates put all their energy into wooing the ‘swing states’. ‘Swing states’ are states where voters can swing to either side.
electoral college
In the final process of election, the ‘Electoral College’ votes for the post of President. But before this, the voters of the states choose the elector, who is a supporter of one or the other presidential candidate. These electors form an ‘Electoral College’, which has a total of 538 members. With the selection of ‘elector’ the election ends for the general public. Finally, the members of the ‘Electoral College’ elect the President of America through voting. To become President, at least 270 electoral votes are required.
Voting on the first Tuesday in November
The quota for electors of every state is fixed. This number is equal to the total number of members of both houses of the US Parliament – House of Representatives and Senate – from each state. The ‘Electoral College’ votes for the presidency on the first Tuesday in November of the election year. But before this, the voters of the states choose the elector, who is a supporter of one or the other presidential candidate. These electors form an ‘Electoral College’, which has a total of 538 members. With the selection of ‘elector’ the election ends for the general public. Finally, the members of the ‘Electoral College’ elect the President of America through voting. To become President, at least 270 electoral votes are required.
The quota for electors of every state is fixed. This number is equal to the total number of members of both houses of the US Parliament – House of Representatives and Senate – from each state. Therefore there is a difference in the number of electors of each state. The day is also fixed for elections. The ‘Electoral College’ votes for the presidency on the first Tuesday in November of the election year.
Vice President election
This year, in the presidential elections to be held in America on November 6, the Electoral College will also vote for the post of Vice President. No elector can vote for candidates from the same state for both the posts. This method of election eliminates the possibility of the Vice Presidential candidate challenging the Presidential candidate. Before 1804, the Vice President was also elected by the Electoral College, but then separate votes were not cast. Then the person who got the most votes became the President and the person who stood second was elected the Vice President.
